His right arm was in a sling back then, but Bonderman has been working hard to get his elbow and his arm in shape for the 2013 season.

"It feels good, but I still have a lot of work to do," Bonderman said
Friday via text message. "I would say that I am getting close to 100
percent, but I still have a little ways to go."

Bonderman said there were a few other teams interested in signing him and that the Tigers offered him a minor-league contract.

Bonderman lives in Pasco, Washington, which is a 3 1/2-hour drive from Seattle, but he said location was not the main reason he chose the Mariners over the Tigers and the other teams that were interested in him.

"It was just the best fit," he said.

Bonderman, 30, went 8-10 with a 5.53 ERA in 30 games for the Tigers in 2010 and has not pitched in the majors since.

Bonderman went 67-77 with a 4.89 ERA in 207 games spanning eight seasons for the Tigers from 2003 to 2010 after the Tigers obtained him from the Oakland A's as part of a three-team trade. He struck out 929 in 1,176 innings pitched.

His best season was 2006, when he went 14-8 with a 4.08 ERA. Bonderman went 1-0 with a 3.10 ERA in three postseason starts while helping
the Tigers to the World Series.